Component for sound absorption and air conditioning

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a component for sound absorption and air conditioning ( 2 ), which is characterized in that a sound-absorbing planar structure ( 1 ) is coated with photocatalytically active material that can be irradiated by UV light sources ( 3 ), wherein the air can be guided along the planar structure ( 1 ) and/or through the planar structure ( 1 ). The component thereby has a front side facing towards a room ( 5 ) and a rear side facing away from a room, the rear side being coated with photocatalytically active material.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a component for sound absorption and air conditioning with which the acoustic and thermal room properties and the lighting quality and air quality in rooms and means of transport are controlled.

PRIOR ART

A number of concepts and components for sound absorption are known in acoustics, in particular in room acoustics. In recent years, considerable progress has been made in creating components that have low space and material requirements and can be integrated into the desired architectural room design.

One group of these components are microperforated absorbers. For example, a microperforated sound absorber is known from DE 197 54 107 C1, which comprises microperforated foils or thin panels. Several foils or panels are thereby provided in any arrangement to one another and are hung horizontally or diagonally in the room. An extension of the functionality results when these panels are parts of ventilation ducts, as described, e.g., in DE 197 30 355 C1. In a transparent embodiment according to DE 43 15 759 C1, additional design possibilities likewise result, such as, e.g., as insulating elements in front of windows as well as in front of lights. Links are hitherto unknown which serve for the simultaneous control of other room properties, such as room air temperature and room air quality. In order to make rooms cozy overall, however, it is also necessary to regulate these parameters in addition to acoustic conditioning. In particular the removal of undesirable foreign substances (contaminants) in the air or undesirable (volatile organic odorous) substances from the air is a crucial task that is difficult to achieve by air circulation alone.

Of course, numerous types of air conditioning are known on which, however, economic demands are also made, and they should also manage with a minimum of space if possible. A special form for the combined influencing of room acoustics and room air quality is described in DE 101 49 414 A1. Perforated gypsum fiber board or gypsum plaster board are thereby covered with vessels or flat elements that absorb sound due to their fibrous or porous nature and with corresponding material selection (e.g., zeolite) are also suitable for passive air purification (incorporation of contaminants). Apart from the question of the exhaustion of the air purifying effect of these passive effects, they differ from the so-called semi-active principles (photocatalysis) on the one hand in terms of substance (e.g., titanium dioxide as an additive) and on the other hand through the independence from UV light. UV light (daylight) is a prerequisite for photocatalysis that is used or exploited, e.g., with enriched wall coatings (textiles, wallpaper). The deficits of all of these components are the limited design range, the lack of multifunctionality and thus the applicability in interior rooms, also in view of the minimal available space.

DE 693 24 574 T2 describes an air conditioning method for rooms on the basis of photocatalysis. To this end, an electric general-purpose light is attached in a room. Furthermore, a thin film of a photocatalyst of solid semiconductor material is applied at least to a part of the internal surface of the room. Thin film and lamp are arranged such that the thin film is illuminated by the lamp. In the wavelength range between 300 nm and the band gap energy of the solid semiconductor material, the light intensity striking the thin film is 0.001-1 mW/cm². It is discernible that with this approach to room air conditioning it is to be accepted that the thin film is visible and the room has to be illuminated.

Specification

The object of the present invention is therefore to create a space-saving possibility that can be adapted to a desired room design for damping the sound, influencing the temperature and improving the air quality. This object is attained through the component according to the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are found in the subordinate claims. To solve the problem, a component for sound absorption and for air conditioning, in particular for room air conditioning, is proposed. The component has a sound-absorbing planar structure coated with photocatalytically active material, which planar structure can be irradiated by UV light sources. It is characterized in that the air can be guided along the planar structure and/or through the planar structure. A planar structure is thereby to be understood to be not only a structure with a flat surface. Of course, it can also be any other surfaces, such as also curved or domed surfaces. In general, the surface of the planar structure will be adapted to the form of the room-enclosing surface.

The component is further characterized by a front side facing towards the room and a rear side facing away from the room, the rear side being coated with photocatalytically active material. In this case, the room means the room in which the air is to be conditioned and in which the noise level is to be reduced. This is not the space that is located between the rear side of the component and a room-enclosing surface, such as a wall. The UV light sources and the photocatalytically active material can thus be arranged on the rear side that is invisible to a person located in the room, which means architectural requirements can be met. Furthermore, it is possible to allow the air to be conditioned to flow past the rear side, whereby a higher proportion of the air flows past the surface than on the front side, since a larger space is available there. Furthermore, with a component of this type with a small space requirement, the function of sound absorption as well as of air conditioning can be achieved.

A suitable sound-absorbing planar structure is a microperforated plate, film or membrane or a microperforated plate absorber. Microperforated components of this type have proven useful for sound absorption. With the component that is to be used for sound absorption as well as for room air conditioning, a microperforated, sound-absorbing planar structure has the advantage that the conditioned room air can flow into the room through the microperforation.

A suitable photocatalytically active material comprises, for example, the photocatalytically active form of titanium dioxide. It is also possible for it to have further constituents and this contains only titanium dioxide. The photocatalytically active form of titanium dioxide has proven to be suitable for air conditioning.

In order to increase the effectiveness of the component for room air conditioning, an increase of the photocatalytically active surface can be achieved by it being embodied in a structured manner and having webs or ribs, for example, for this purpose. With at most a small increase in the space needed for the component, its functionality can thus be increased or a smaller component can be used with the same functionality. Accordingly, the same functionality can also be achieved more cost-effectively.

To improve the room air conditioning, an active supply of the air to be conditioned to the rear space behind the sound-absorbing planar structure can be achieved by means of devices for air conveying, for example, with ventilators. The disadvantage frequently associated with air-conveying devices of increased noise emission is less serious with the component according to the invention, since a sound absorption is provided.

Additional openings in the sound-absorbing planar structure reduce the sound absorption only to a relatively small extent. The flow resistance occurring with the flowing-through of the planar structure with the conditioned room air, however, is markedly reduced by the openings.

UV light-emitting diodes, for example, are suitable as UV light sources. They provide sufficient UV radiation for photocatalytic room air conditioning with low energy consumption. If UV light sources are used that at the same time emit visible light, the visible light can be used for direct or indirect lighting. The requirements of the room air conditioning and lighting with cost-effective light sources with relatively low energy consumption can thus be met. With this embodiment, a transparent planar structure should be used. Light can thus penetrate into the room at least through these areas to which no photocatalytically active material is applied.

If the sound-absorbing planar structure can be heated and/or cooled or has an inner layer that can be heated or cooled, the component can also be used for air conditioning the room. A further function can thus be achieved without any appreciably increased space requirement of the component.

Corresponding architectural requirements can be met through the use of a transparent sound-absorbing planar structure on the rear side of which the photocatalytically active material is applied on some parts. The desired functionality is maintained thereby.

To improve the room air conditioning, the room-delimiting surface lying opposite the rear side of the sound-absorbing planar structure can likewise be coated with photocatalytic material. A much more effective surface for photocatalytic conditioning is thus available. If the room-delimiting surface is embodied as a reflective surface, an increased UV radiation strikes the photocatalytically active rear side of the sound-absorbing planar structure without more powerful UV light sources that are thus more expensive in acquisition and/or operation having to be used.

The component is also suitable as a part of a channel or chamber of a ventilation system. The conditioned air that is supplied to the room thus does not carry so much noise into the room. In the channel or the chamber of the ventilation system a sound damper is thus realized with which an air conditioning is possible at the same time.

Since the component is suitable for room air conditioning and sound absorption in rooms of a building, it is advantageous if it can be attached or is attached to room-delimiting surfaces in buildings.

Air conditioning and sound absorption also play a role in particular in interior spaces of means of transport. Here it is favorable if the component can be attached or is attached as part of the cladding, for example. The same applies to the engine compartment of means of transport, in particular when they are accessed by people for whom a conditioned air must be available in the engine compartment. Even if a complete closure of the engine compartment from the environment is not possible, so that an air exchange is unavoidable, it is favorable if the air in the engine compartment is conditioned. This thus avoids poor air being emitted into the environment with the unavoidable air exchange. This applies in particular when it is not possible to exchange air in a controlled manner and to condition only the exchanged air. With the noise emission of means of transport, sound proofing is generally necessary.

The component is also suitable as a part of an enclosure or housing for machines or equipment. This is above all the case when sound damping is necessary and at the same time uncontrolled air exchange with the environment is unavoidable. The above-referenced considerations for engine compartments of means of transport apply analogously.

The invention is described in more detail below based on the figures. They show:

FIG. 1: Diagrammatic representation of the sound-absorbing planar structure (1), e.g., as a microperforated plate, the rear side (2) of which is provided with a coating of photocatalytically active material and is irradiated by UV light sources (3) and past which the air (6) of the room (5) is guided.

FIG. 2: Sectional representation of a section of the sound-absorbing planar structure (1), the rear side (2) of which and the openings of which are provided with a coating of photocatalytically active material.

FIG. 3: Sectional representation of a section of the sound-absorbing planar structure (1) in structured form, e.g., with webs on the rear side, with photocatalytically active coating of the rear side (2).

FIG. 4: Sectional representation of a section of the sound-absorbing planar structure (1) with an inner layer (7) that can be heated or cooled.

FIG. 5: Diagrammatic representation of the sound-absorbing planar structure (1) as part of a channel (8).

According to the invention it was recognized that it is possible to use the rear space necessary for the acoustic effect of a thin sound-absorbing planar structure (1), e.g., comprising microperforated plates, for the function of the active improvement of the air quality (purification), FIG. 1. To this end the rear side (2) and the openings (walls of the microperforations) of the planar structure (1) are to be provided with a coating of photocatalytically active material, e.g., of the photocatalytically active form of titanium dioxide, FIG. 2. If the coating has a certain porosity or roughness, this contributes to the increase of the sound-absorbing effect of the microperforation. At the same time, a coating of this type contributes to the self-cleaning of the openings.

To activate the air purification, air (6) is guided out of the room (5) through the rear space of the planar structure (1) and optionally through the openings thereof, and at the same time the coated rear side (2) thereof is irradiated by artificial UV light sources (3), e.g., preferably UV light-emitting diodes. The use of UV light-emitting diodes a few millimeters in size promises a particularly space-saving embodiment of the components.

To increase the photocatalytically active surface, the planar structure (1) can be correspondingly structured, e.g., in the form of webs or ribs, FIG. 3. A coating of the other surface limiting the rear space behind the planar structure (1) with a photocatalytically active material or its embodiment as a (light)-reflecting surface, e.g., in the form of a mirrored surface, serves the same purpose.

To meet another room function, the light sources (3) can be used for direct or indirect illumination. If a use of the light sources (3) is also desirable for direct lighting purposes, a transparent microperforated material can be selected for the planar structure (1) and the coating of the rear side (2) carried out only over part of the surface. The permeability for the UV portion of the light can likewise be ensured by material selection. The portion penetrating through the microperforations is negligible in view of the perforation surface proportion of up to under one percent.

With suitable positioning in the room (5), the air guidance can be driven by the given room air flow or supported by air conveyance devices (4), e.g., ventilators. If a flow-through of the openings of the planar structure (1) is provided, additional ventilation openings in the planar structure (1) can prove to be useful in order to carry out this air transport with a lower pressure loss.

The particular freedom of choice of material (metal, plastic) for microperforated planar structures (1) offers the best prerequisites for a geometrical formability and for an optimal coating of the rear side (2). At the same time it allows the simplest possible integration of a further function: the thermal conditioning (heating, cooling). To this end, e.g., a metallic microperforated planar structure (1) can be used as a heated or cooled plate. As an alternative thereto, an interior layer (7) much less than one millimeter in thickness, FIG. 4, can act between two congruent parts of the microperforated planar structure (1). In this case—apart from a paint coat—a four-layer arrangement results, the thickness of which, however, can easily be less than one millimeter.

The thermal function of the planar structure (1) has a positive effect in two respects. Firstly, it contributes to the thermal conditioning of the room (5) and secondly it increases the effectiveness of the active air purification.

The thermally active interior layer (7) can also comprise a membrane or film with integrated heating coils, wherein plane-parallel surfaces must be ensured hereby. With respect to a cost-saving and precise manufacture, it is advantageous to carry out the microperforation of the planar structure (1) after assembling the individual layers.

Overall, it is therefore a matter not only, for instance, of the addition of functions, but instead of the targeted use and integration of interactions between the design features of the individual functions. These cannot be achieved with separate functional components. It is important to achieve a reduction of assembly costs through the combination. Furthermore certain requirements, e.g., for sound absorption and air conditioning, often occur together. Thus machines that require a special sound damping can also require a special room air conditioning. Problems of noise and air deterioration associated with a machine can thus be solved with one component.

Suitable embodiments for the thin sound-absorbing planar structure (1) are also foil absorbers or even unperforated plate absorbers. Through the active supply of the air to be conditioned, the quantity of the air to be conditioned can be substantially increased. The fundamentally disadvantageous flow noises, e.g., of the ventilator, are reduced in the rear space of the planar structure (1) by the sound-absorbing effect thereof, so that this common disadvantage of devices for air conditioning actively flowed through is omitted with the combination with a sound absorber. In fact, this connection can also be utilized when component and planar structure (1) are parts of a channel (8), e.g., sound absorber, or of a partial area of a ventilation system, FIG. 5.

The largely free formability of the planar structure (1) renders possible applications in buildings as well as in means of transport. 

1. Component for sound absorption and air conditioning (2) with a sound-absorbing planar structure (1) coated with photocatalytically active material, which planar structure can be irradiated by UV light sources (3), characterized in that the air can be guided along the planar structure (1) and/or through the planar structure (1), wherein the component has a front side facing towards a room (5) and a rear side facing away from the room, the rear side being coated with photocatalytically active material.
 2. Component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sound-absorbing planar structure (1) is a microperforated plate, film or membrane or a plate absorber.
 3. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the photocatalytically active material comprises or contains, e.g., the photocatalytically active form of titanium dioxide.
 4. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the sound-absorbing planar structure (1) or the rear side (2) thereof is embodied in a structured manner to increase the photocatalytically active surface and has webs or ribs, for example, for this purpose.
 5. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that an active supply of the air to be conditioned to the rear space behind the sound-absorbing planar structure (1) can be achieved by means of devices for air conveying (4), for example, ventilators.
 6. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the sound-absorbing planar structure (1) has additional openings in order to ensure a lower pressure loss with flow-through.
 7. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the UV light sources (3) are, e.g., UV light-emitting diodes or the UV light sources (3) at the same time emit visible light for direct or indirect lighting.
 8. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the sound-absorbing planar structure (1) can be heated and/or cooled or has an inner layer (7) that can be heated or cooled.
 9. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the sound-absorbing planar structure (1) is transparent and on the rear side (2) of which the photocatalytically active material is applied on some parts.
 10. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the room-delimiting surface lying opposite the rear side (2) of the sound-absorbing planar structure (1) is likewise coated with photocatalytically active material or is, e.g., mirrored as a reflective surface.
 11. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the component is part of a channel (8) or chamber of a ventilation system.
 12. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the component can be attached or is attached to room-delimiting surfaces in buildings.
 13. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the component can be attached or is attached in the interior space or engine compartment of means of transport, e.g., as part of the cladding.
 14. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the component is part of an enclosure or housing for machines or equipment. 